Wendell Berry, Andy Catlett: Early Travels (Emeryville, CA: Shoemaker & Hoard, 2006)
I think Wendell Berry is one of the most talented authors writing today. In his nearly fifty year career, he has published over forty books in three genres (fiction, poetry and essays). Most of these were written while tending a small farm in Kentucky. Andy Catlett is his latest work set in his beloved community of Port Williams, Kentucky, a community that has come alive through Berry’s fiction.
It’s the end of 1943, right after Christmas. Nine year old Andy Cartlett is excited. He’s put on a bus bound for Port Williams, his ancestral home. There, for the next five or so days, he spends time with his grandparents. The Cartlett’s are still living much like their parents and grandparents, depending on oil lamps and wood heat and draft animals. His grandfather along with Dick, meets him at the bus stop in a buckboard, pulled by mules. The Cartletts have never owned a car. While there, the young Andy plays in the fields and woodlots, and sits in a pack house listening to men tell stories as they strip tobacco, preparing it for market. Although Andy doesn’t sense it at the time, the narrator who looks back on the events from the future realizes that the world is changing.
After a couple days at the Cartlett’s, Andy’s Grandfather Feltner picks him up in his car and takes them to their home on the edge of Port Williams. While there, Andy roams the streets of the tiny hamlet, joining the men in the back room of an old store, where they play cards and spin yarns. As with much of Berry’s writing, it’s slow yet very descriptive. It’s a treat to slow down enough to take it all in.
Berry’s favorite themes are here, the passing of one way of life for another. You have no doubt that Berry questions the validity and the wisdom of the newer way of life. He prefers the old ways of home economies. Both grandparents, even though they seem to be different, value hard work and thrift, values that Berry strives to instill into his readers. Another theme is explored through these pages, the theme of race. You can see Berry, through Andy’s eyes, strive to understand the complex relationship between the races in rural southern society.
Is this novel an autobiographical memoir? He doesn’t say, but Berry, who was born in 1934, would have also been in 9 in 1943!
Berry always tells a good story and Andy Cartlett is no difference. However, if you’re looking for an introduction to Berry’s fiction, I’d suggest first reading either Nathan Coulter or Jayber Crow or perhaps The Memory of Old Jack.
Check out my review of Hannah Coulter (another of Berry’s books). For more infomration on Berry, check out the Mr. Wendell Berry of Kentucky site.
I think Wendell Berry is one of the most talented authors writing today. In his nearly fifty year career, he has published over forty books in three genres (fiction, poetry and essays). Most of these were written while tending a small farm in Kentucky. Andy Catlett is his latest work set in his beloved community of Port Williams, Kentucky, a community that has come alive through Berry’s fiction.
It’s the end of 1943, right after Christmas. Nine year old Andy Cartlett is excited. He’s put on a bus bound for Port Williams, his ancestral home. There, for the next five or so days, he spends time with his grandparents. The Cartlett’s are still living much like their parents and grandparents, depending on oil lamps and wood heat and draft animals. His grandfather along with Dick, meets him at the bus stop in a buckboard, pulled by mules. The Cartletts have never owned a car. While there, the young Andy plays in the fields and woodlots, and sits in a pack house listening to men tell stories as they strip tobacco, preparing it for market. Although Andy doesn’t sense it at the time, the narrator who looks back on the events from the future realizes that the world is changing.
After a couple days at the Cartlett’s, Andy’s Grandfather Feltner picks him up in his car and takes them to their home on the edge of Port Williams. While there, Andy roams the streets of the tiny hamlet, joining the men in the back room of an old store, where they play cards and spin yarns. As with much of Berry’s writing, it’s slow yet very descriptive. It’s a treat to slow down enough to take it all in.
Berry’s favorite themes are here, the passing of one way of life for another. You have no doubt that Berry questions the validity and the wisdom of the newer way of life. He prefers the old ways of home economies. Both grandparents, even though they seem to be different, value hard work and thrift, values that Berry strives to instill into his readers. Another theme is explored through these pages, the theme of race. You can see Berry, through Andy’s eyes, strive to understand the complex relationship between the races in rural southern society.
Is this novel an autobiographical memoir? He doesn’t say, but Berry, who was born in 1934, would have also been in 9 in 1943!
Berry always tells a good story and Andy Cartlett is no difference. However, if you’re looking for an introduction to Berry’s fiction, I’d suggest first reading either Nathan Coulter or Jayber Crow or perhaps The Memory of Old Jack.
Check out my review of Hannah Coulter (another of Berry’s books). For more infomration on Berry, check out the Mr. Wendell Berry of Kentucky site.
I need to do more reading! So many good books out there. Haven't had time to dive into a good one for a very long time now. :o(
ReplyDeleteI've been debating on if this book would be something I liked or not...is there any cannabalism in it? :-)
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ReplyDeletetrailady, there is never enough time for reading.
ReplyDeleteMurf, sorry, but no. Since you must have really enjoyed "In the Heart of the Sea," you might want to read "Ordeal by Hunger" about the Donner party tragedy in the Sierras in 1847. I can't remember who it's by, I have it at home in my western literature collection.
I already have about 18 books on my must read list, but this is a ood one, I think. You give good reviews, Sage!
ReplyDeleteHow many books of one genre does it take to create a 'collection'?
ReplyDeleteGreat review Sage. I've heard good things about Berry and do remember your earlier review of another of his books. I'm not doing much fiction reading nowadays, but this book seems like a mighty fine read for everyone.
ReplyDeleteAs of today, 43 books are on queue to be read. I am behind time. Why can't we have 48 hours day?
ReplyDeleteKenju and Gautami, You are making me feel guilty for adding to your book list! :)
ReplyDeleteMurf, I'm not sure how many it takes--I have a 100 or so in the Western studies area--but since my dissertation was based on much of that reading, I've held on to most of them.
V, check out some of Berry's essays, he has a lot of good to say about living in community and our responsibility as stewards of the environment.
Whenever I need to escape I read psychological mysteries. They let me enter other worlds and somehow come back to life
ReplyDeleteSounds like he is an excellent author! But now that I have a little time freed up again, I want to use it to do more hiking. I think I, too, need a 48 hour day. ;)
ReplyDeleteOne day I know you are going to review an author I've actually heard of! One day I just know it! He does sound good...thanks for the review.
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